Here I Go Again On My Own
by kclaura2003
Summary: In 1987, Daryl is about to graduate from high school however he knows nobody will be there for him when he walks. But will a certain girl surprise him? Pre-ZA, one-shot. Rated T for some language and sexual content. Daryl/OC.


**Hi, there! Thanks for reading and please remember to review. :)**

**If you happened to read my story "Georgia Rain", in it Daryl briefly mentions having a high school girlfriend named "Bridget". I thought it would be cute to do a pre-ZA story about that.**

**"Why Can't This Be Love?" by Van Halen. **

**"Here I Go Again" by Whitesnake.**

**I do not own The Walking Dead. Enjoy! **

_May 1987_

Daryl Dixon leaned up against his Ford pickup truck, smoking a cigarette waiting for his girlfriend, Bridget, to go on their date. Bridget's mother had offered Daryl to wait inside but Bridget's father made a comment about "Oh, it's so nice outside…why don't you wait out there, son? She'll be ready soon enough." and he quickly ushered Daryl out into the mild spring air.

Daryl smirked as he took a drag on the cigarette as he recalled the first time he met Bridget's parents. They were working class people like Daryl's family, everybody in this part of Georgia was. However, that first meeting, Bridget's old man took one look at Daryl and flatly said:

"I don't likes the looks of you, boy. I think my daughter deserves better."

In which Daryl responded casually: "If I was you; I wouldn't likes the looks of me neither, sir. And yes, yer daughter does deserve better."

A slight grin twitched on the older man's face.

"You're honest. I like that. Have her back by 10 p.m. sharp."

_Old codger still doesn't like me. _Daryl thought now, amused, as he took his last drag on the smoke and flick the butt.

"Hey, Daryl." A sweet, yet sexy voice drawled.

He looked up to see her standing there: Bridget in an off-the-shoulder black top, acid-wash denim skirt, and white L.A. Gear shoes. Her golden blonde hair was permed and teased, held together, most likely, by half a can of Aqua Net. She wore a big, black, floppy bow in her hair and electric blue eye shadow rested on her eyelids. Her light blue eyes took in the sight of Daryl, working from bottom to top: his scuffed up work boots, ripped Levi jeans, Def Leppard T-shirt, and the mullet hair he had going on. Bridget reached up and tousled Daryl's hair in which he playfully swatted her away.

"You look…cute." Daryl said taking Bridget's hands in his. _Cute as a button. _He thought.

Bridget giggled and rolled her eyes at him. "Cute?" She asked. "Just cute? I know _I'm _more than just _cute_!"

She laughed then and leaned in to kiss him. When they broke apart, Daryl grinned as he opened up the passenger door.

"Well then, _gorgeous_…yer chariot awaits."

Bridget smirked. "That's more like it, Dixon." She hopped in the truck.

"Ya think this thing will be any fun?" Bridget asked as she rolled down her window and put her feet up on the dashboard as they drove down the road.

Daryl shrugged his shoulders. "I guess it will be as fun as any county fair could be."

Bridget agreed and then she reached over and played with the radio knob. She kept tuning it and tuning it until she found a station, cranked it up, and sang along loudly off-key.

Daryl smiled to himself and as he drove down the highway he would sneak a glance a two over at the girl in his passenger seat. She looked so silly to him; her tapping her feet on the dashboard, playing the air drums, and bobbing her head to the music, her eyes closed. Daryl had first met Bridget six months ago, when he stopped at the drive-in in town, and she had come out on roller skates with his chili dog and cheese fries in one hand and her phone number written on a napkin in the other.

She had told him she'd seen him around in school several times but never had a chance to talk to him because her last boyfriend was: "so grody to the max; he would like, totally, flip out if he even saw me look at another guy…but yeah, we should like, totally, hang out sometime."

Daryl had been too shy to call her first. He actually tried a few times but each time her father answered and Daryl promptly hung up. It wasn't until last fall, in Biology lab class Bridget walked into the room, saw Daryl, and immediately slid into the seat next to him.

"Hey loser, why didn't ya call me? Cat got ya tongue?" And then Bridget gave him a wink and a playful shove. Daryl instantly liked her then; this girl was not only a fox but chill as well.

Bridget was so carefree and had a great sense of humor about her that Daryl didn't know from anybody else, especially in his own family. He liked being with her; she made him relax, made him realize it was OK to let loose and have some fun.

"'Cause life is, like, so short, ya know?" Bridget once told him.

Daryl had only chuckled in response. _She's like a backwoods valley girl. _He thought, amused.

They arrived at the county fair. Bridget immediately pulled Daryl toward the rollercoaster and they went four times in a row. The tilt-a-whirl, the cliff-hanger, the ferris wheel, and despite how ridiculous it made him feel, a ride on the carousel all followed in rapid succession. They fed the hogs, goats, and llamas in the petting zoo and Daryl pulled his shoulder trying to lift the sledgehammer in the Test-Your-Strength game but he ultimately succeeded. He won a oversized stuffed animal bunny rabbit, gave it to Bridget, but in turn she gave it to a little girl who was making a scene over not being old enough to ride one of the rides. The gift immediately cheered her up and the parents gave Bridget an appreciative smile.

"I bet she'll have more use for it than I would," Bridget said to Daryl over funnel cake and snow cones. They sat next to each other on bench near the concession stand watching the people come and go.

"It was very nice of ya," Daryl concurred. He licked powder sugar off his fingertips.

"So, you all set for graduation next week?" Bridget asked.

Daryl nodded. "Yep…been ready to kiss that place good-bye for 'while now."

Bridget laughed. "Yeah, you, me, and half the senior class! My aunt and uncle from Memphis are coming down to watch me walk. Your family coming?" She asked casually and Daryl gave her an are-you-kidding-me-look. Her face fell slightly and she fidgeted a bit.

"Oh yeah," She murmured. "Sorry; I forgot." She glanced down sadly at her feet and then quickly looked back up at him.

"Are you sure they're not coming?"

Daryl scoffed. "Yeah, I'm sure. They don't even know I'm graduatin' this year."

Bridget almost choked on her funnel cake. "What?!" She spat. "They don't _even _know?! How could they _not_, like, know?! What's with those people?! Not even Earl knows?"

Daryl smirked at her mistake. "_Merle_, Bridget. My brother's name is Merle; not Earl. And I don't know…He probably knows I'm eighteen now…what he doesn't know is that I'll be the first in a long, long time in the Dixon clan to graduate high school. Probably thinks I've dropped out by now like everyone else in the family."

Bridget frowned and wrinkled her brow. She looked deeply bothered by this.

"Well, they should be there for that." Bridget said, with conviction. "I don't care if they're all, like, drunk as a skunk or whatever - they need to be at their son's and brother's graduation."

Daryl only nodded in response. _She's right. _He thought. _But it ain't gonna happen. They ain't gonna come. I ain't gonna tell 'em either…they're both gonna have their fat, lazy, drunk asses parked on the couch in front of the TV and I'm gonna walk out like it's any old day…gonna go to that school…gonna put on that cap and gown and I'm gonna walk that stage. I'm gonna git that diploma…then I'll come home and shove it their lousy, pathetic faces._

They left the fair and headed back towards Bridget's house. Once again, the windows were rolled down and the radio was blaring. Bridget scooted all the way over to where Daryl was. She rubbed up against him, kissing on his neck, letting her hands trail down his legs and over his groin, almost causing him to drive off the road several times.

"Bridget, baby," Daryl said, his hands gripping the wheel tight but his face grinning wildly. "Honey, I can't drive while yer doin' all that to me…it's kinda distractin'."

"You like it," Bridget teased as she nibbled on his ear. Daryl thought he was going to lose control, not only with the steering wheel, but with the burning desire building up inside him and inside his pants.

"Pull over," Bridget whispered.

"Right here?!" Daryl asked, shocked. "On the side of the road?!" _Man, I know this girl ain't no prude but I didn't think she was this freaky! _

Bridget laughed heartily. "No, dumb ass!" She exclaimed. "Go down one them dirt roads. As far out as ya can…"

Daryl took the next back road off the two lane highway and eased his old truck down the rocky, red dirt road. They came out near a moonlit pond with nothing but farm fields around for miles.

As soon as Daryl put the truck in park, Bridget straddled him, ran her fingers through his mullet, and pressed her mouth hungrily on his. She held his face in her hands, kissing him deeply and passionately, while he held on to her legs, his hands slowly working their way up her skirt.

Bridget had taught Daryl a lot about fooling around in the last few months they had been dating. Some other guys had causally warned Daryl about Bridget, saying something like: "that girl's been 'round the block a few times, man" but he honestly didn't care. He didn't think she was "loose" by any means. The girl was straight up about what she wanted; she was forward and she made it obvious she wanted Daryl. He was perfectly fine with that.

They both had their shirts off now, eagerly pawing at one another - his fingers clumsily unhooking her bra and her hand down the front of his jeans, driving him crazier every second.

The windows were still rolled down, the radio drowning out the sounds of nature and the couple's lusty moans, with Van Halen playing:

"_Here it comes that funny feelin' again/Windin' me up inside, every time we touch/Hey, I don't know, oh, tell where to begin/'Cause I never ever felt so much…"_

Bridget's bra was undone and Daryl had her breasts in his hands. He not only liked the feel of them but the way she would softly moan as he gently kneaded them. She broke away from the French kissing then and looked him in the eyes.

"Ya got something?" She asked and he knew instantly what she was talking about.

"Glove box," He breathed heavily. "Hurry up."

It wasn't the first time they had done it but Daryl still being new to sex wasn't sure how long he could hold back. They climbed into the bed of the truck and made love.

As he had feared; he didn't last as long as he hoped to but Bridget didn't look disappointed.

After retrieving their discarded clothes and getting back in the cab, Daryl went to start the truck but Bridget put her hand over his.

"Wait," She whispered. "Let's just stay here for awhile."

"Yer Daddy said to bring ya back around -" Daryl began but Bridget cut him off.

"Forget my Daddy!" She laughed. She picked up on the nervous expression on Daryl's face and grinned.

"He ain't gonna shoot ya, Daryl." She told him. "Old man wouldn't know how to shoot his way out of, like, a paper bag!"

She turned off the radio and nuzzled up to him. Daryl wrapped an arm around Bridget and held her close. They both gazed out the windshield at the night sky.

"In speakin' of shootin'…" Bridget said. "You still playing around with that bow and arrow thing, ya got?"

Daryl scoffed. "If I didn't know ya, I'd take that as insult right there, missy."

"It's called a crossbow, sweetheart. '_Bow and arrow'_, please!…Like I'm runnin' 'round playin' _Robin Hood_ or somethin'!"

He tried his best to sound upset but he knew she knew he was only teasing her.

Bridget only giggled. "Well, I think it's, like, totally rad, ya know? I mean, sure, I'm bummed out for all the little critters…but hey, life ain't always fair."

"Ya got that right," Daryl concurred.

Bridget intertwined her fingers with his. "You're pretty good at it, too."

"Thanks," Daryl grunted as he gave her hand a squeeze. _I ain't just "good"; I'm damn good._ He thought, proudly.

"Well, at least somebody thinks I'm good for somethin'."

Bridget turned to glance up at Daryl then, wrinkled her brow, and then Daryl realized he had inadvertently spoken that last thought out loud.

Bridget laid her head back down on his chest and quietly said: "I still, like, can't believe that family of yours. I know it's none of my beeswax and all, but, like-_still!_ You are good for something, Daryl."

"Like what?" He countered.

"Oh," Bridget paused and Daryl found it amusing she had to stop and think about what she had just so confidently claimed.

"Well, you're good at the crossbow thing."

"Yeah." Daryl answered, stiffly. "Yeah, I am. But how's killin' squirrels gonna pay the bills?"

Bridget shifted nervously. Daryl knew she didn't like to talk about deep or uncomfortable subjects and neither did he.

"I don't know," She murmured. "Ya never know; it could, like, come in handy some day…"

She trailed off and then flashed a grin. "Maybe when the world comes to an end." She joked. "Then you'll be the one that gets food for everybody!"

Daryl laughed and shook his head. "Yeah, OK…Sure, Bridget."

Daryl played with her hair and felt the stiffness all the hairspray had made it.

"Wish ya wouldn't put all that shit on your head," Daryl mumbled and Bridget only chuckled in response.

As he looked down at her, a solemn thought crossed his mind.

"You all set to go to Athens?" Daryl asked. Despite her bubbly personality, Bridget wasn't dumb. She had scored an academic scholarship to the University of Georgia.

Bridget nodded. "Yep! Well, sort of…I've got so much stuff to do, it's like, so overwhelming, ya know? But I can't wait!"

Daryl grunted. "Yeah, well. I'm happy for ya."

He wasn't lying. He was glad to see somebody move on and get out of this podunk region and make something of themselves. He knew after the summer was over he'd never see Bridget again and he was OK with that. They had made no promises to each other, no I-love-you exchanges, no vows to call or to write.

_I'm just gonna enjoy the time we do have together…while it lasts. _Daryl concluded and he knew Bridget felt the same way.

"You gonna go anywhere?" Bridget was asking Daryl now. "Any college or anything?"

Daryl laughed at her optimism. "Yeah," He answered flatly. "The University of Hard Knocks…hell, I'll probably come out with a goddamn master's degree!"

Bridget shook her head and sighed. "I still can't believe they ain't gonna be there when you walk! Everybody has to have somebody there to, like, cheer when they call your name."

"Tell ya what, honey," Daryl said. "When they say my name; you holler for me. You can be my cheerleader."

Daryl took Bridget home and kissed her goodnight. The following week was finals week for the senior class and then they were free until graduation night next Wednesday.

Daryl spent the weekend working at the auto repair garage where he worked, hunting with his crossbow, and staying out of his father's and mother's way.

_Just like any other old weekend._ Daryl thought on Saturday afternoon while he was outside tinkering with his brother's motorcycle. Merle was in the Army stationed at Fort Benning. Daryl often had a hard time picturing his older brother in the military given that Merle always had a problem respecting authority.

The phone rang from inside the trailer as he worked. Daryl threw down the tool he was working with and glared at the trailer. Somebody had been prank calling the Dixons since last weekend; the weekend Daryl spent with Bridget. Each time Daryl answered the phone, the other end would hang up. Sometimes they would call four or five times a day. Since Daryl was usually the one that answered the phone, his father and mother too lazy to care, it irritated him to no end. Whoever it was called that morning and Daryl, fed up, had yelled into the receiver:

"Either ya got somethin' to say or stop fucking callin' here, ass-wipe!" and he slammed it down on it's cradle.

Daryl listened to the phone: ringing, ringing, ringing. It wasn't going to stop until the other person hung up or somebody answered it. Daryl threw open the door of the trailer, marched in and disconnected the phone jack.

His father sat in the recliner, beer in one hand, cigarette in the other, watching the grainy television set. He glanced over at Daryl, looked at his son like he was being a disruption, grunted and returned his attention back to the TV.

Daryl only stared at the man for a second and walked out, shaking his head in disgust.

_Sorry for disturbing you, DAD…don't worry though…in less than week, I'll be gone. _

On Monday, Daryl stood at the mailbox shuffling through the mail. As he walked inside, he noticed an envelope addressed to his parents. Merle was known to write, on occasion, but he always wrote specifically to Daryl. The envelope felt nice and smooth, like it was made out of some fancy paper, and it felt a greeting card. It had no return address, the postmark was from somewhere close by, and the script was neat. Daryl thought it was odd, however, he didn't give it much thought. He tossed it on the counter with the rest of the mail and walked off.

Finally, graduation night arrived. It was a perfect night for an outdoor commencement ceremony: not too hot, not too cold - just right. Daryl rode his brother's motorcycle to the school's football field where it was to take place.

He put on the cap and gown and stood in line, alphabetically by last name, and waited to walk. Daryl hadn't seen Bridget anywhere, despite their graduating class consisting of about hundred people or less. He knew she was around somewhere and he would catch up with her later.

Even though he was at the near the front of the line to walk the stage, Daryl felt a sadness within him. He acted like he didn't care if his family was there or not but right then, he knew he did care. He cared a lot.

_They are never there…_Daryl thought, solemnly. _Never…For anything…not even for this…I know I didn't tell them but…Bridget was right. Who the hell doesn't know when their kid is graduatin' from high school?! Merle would be here; if he could have been. He'd given me shit about it but he still would have been here…I bet I'm the only one here who doesn't have somebody in those stands that is proud of me. _

Merle's face flashed into Daryl's mind then and he pictured his older brother laughing at him and telling him to "man up".

'_Quit bein' such a whiny little bitch'…that's what he'd say. _Daryl thought and he promptly sucked up any pity-party feelings he had for himself.

_Even if they ain't here; at least I did something' worth while…I completed high school. I completed high school even though I've been told by teachers and counselors I should enroll in an "alternative" school…I completed high school despite the old man telling me to quit; that school "wasn't gonna do me any good". I got my homework done…I got by the skin of my teeth…but I completed it. I earned this…it ain't no Ivy League degree but I'm damn proud of myself. Even if nobody else is. _

"Daryl Dixon."

Daryl took a deep breath and climb the steps up to the stage. As he crossed over to where the principle stood, shook hands and took his diploma, Daryl heard a rather loud, almost obnoxious hooting at his name being called. He thought it was Bridget but he realized that she was toward the end; her row hadn't gone yet.

Daryl thought he was imagining things until he heard it again: a "_Whooooo, hell yeah! Get some, Dixon!" _from somewhere out in the stands as he walked off the stage. It sounded like some rowdy, frat boy despite this being a high school graduation. Daryl shrugged it off as just some jackass who thought he was being funny.

Daryl sat through the rest of the ceremony, at ease. He grinned as he watched Bridget go forward and he loudly wolf whistled at her as she walked across. In the stands he could hear her family cheering for her.

When the principle gave the signal to stand and to turn their tassels to the left, Daryl felt a surge of pride go through him.

_I did it! I did this for me. Nobody else but me. Good job, Dixon. _

"Class of '87, the world is your oyster…Go forth and make us proud, graduates!"

The commissioning statement from the principle concluded the ceremony and Daryl quickly yanked the tassel off his cap before tossing it in the air with the rest of the senior class. Yells, cheers, and gunshots from somebody's BB gun in the stands rang out into the spring night air. Everybody laughed, cried and slapped each other on the back. Daryl looked around for Bridget but once again she had disappeared and he figured she probably went to celebrate with her folks.

Daryl walked out to the parking lot, diploma in hand, and he shoved his tassel in his jean pocket.

_A keepsake. _He thought.

As he walked through the gate leading to the parking lot, Daryl heard a voice from behind him:

"Congrats, baby brotha."

Daryl froze in place.

_No way…_He thought, stunned._ No friggin' way…_

But he knew that raspy, drawl anywhere.

Daryl slowly turned around and from out of the shadows there came Merle, decked out in his Army dress uniform,a lopsided grin on his face. Then just behind Merle, Daryl saw them - their father and mother. Both of them stood there awkwardly, almost in a stupor, like they had no idea what they were doing there. They looked around the parking lot, anxiously and eagerly, as if they both couldn't wait to leave.

Daryl caught the eye of his father and they both slightly jerked simultaneously; Daryl had learned the hard way never to look his father in the eye a long time ago.

The tension in the air was thick but Daryl couldn't help but smile.

_They came! _He thought. _They all came…but how did they know? _

Merle approached Daryl now and wrapped one of his muscular arms around his little brother's neck, pulled him closer, and gave him a noogie.

"Yeah, congrats, Darlina," Merle teased. "Now yer officially qualified to work at the Mickey D's in town!"

Daryl shoved Merle off and laughed. "Shut up, Merle. Was that you doin' all that hollerin'?"

Merle nodded. "Ya know it, brotha. Gotta make some noise for the Dixon boy. Lemme take a look at dat thang ya got there…"

Merle took the cushioned folder holding Daryl's diploma, opened it up and read aloud:

"This certifies that Daryl "_Darlina"_ Dixon having satisfactorily completed all requirements of law and standards for high school graduation as prescribed by the Georgia State Board of _Edu-ma-cation _and North Georgia High School is hereby awarded this _dee-plow-ma_, givin' this month of May, nineteen eighty-seven."

Merle let out a low whistle after reading.

"That there was a mouthful…_shit_; they oughta give me one these damn things if I can read that good!"

Daryl only chuckled and shook his at his brother. He looked at Merle, and then glanced over to their parents, who were still there but keeping their distance.

"Merle, bro…" Daryl asked. "How did you -"

"The Army gave me some leave," Merle explained. "Told 'em I'd go AWOL if they didn't let me come see this fo' myself."

"No, no…" Daryl said. "How did you know about me graduatin'?"

A sly smile spread across Merle's face. "A 'lil birdie told me…"

Then he glanced over the top of Daryl's head and grinned wildly. "And if I'm not mistakin'…I think dat 'lil birdie is right behind ya, baby brotha."

Daryl turned and there was Bridget standing only a few feet away, watching. Bridget shrugged and flashed Daryl a guilty-as-charged smile. He stood there, mouth open, speechless. He looked back toward his brother and parents and then back at Bridget.

"We's gonna go on and cut outta here, Daryl." Merle told him from behind. "I'll take this here fancy piece of paper home for ya…put in a good spot for ya."

And with that Daryl's family left. Daryl couldn't stop staring at Bridget.

_How did she pull this off? _Daryl wondered, puzzled. Then it all came back to him. The consistent phone calls and the anonymous card in the mail for his parents - an invitation.

"It was you!" Daryl cried, as he slowly approached Bridget. "The phone calls and that letter - it was _you_!" He pointing an accusatory finger at her.

Bridget smiled as she glanced down at the ground and back up at Daryl. "Yeah," She admitted. "Sorry about pissing ya off with the calls but I was tryin' to get one of your parents on the line but I guess they don't ever, like, answer the phone, huh?"

Daryl embraced Bridget and they kissed. When they broke apart, Bridget said:

"So, I went the old-fashioned way. I had an extra invitation made and sent it. Wasn't sure if your parents would even open it but I guess, like, they did! And then I remembered you once told me…_Merle; not Earl_…was at Fort Benning and so I sent a letter to him. And that's that!"

Bridget paused as she tried to read Daryl's face. "You're not, like, mad at me, are ya?"

Daryl laughed. "Oh, Bridget…honey. You didn't have to do this, ya know -"

"But I wanted to!" Bridget insisted. "I wanted to, Daryl. You deserve it. It's always good to know that people, like, appreciate you and are proud of you, ya know?"

Daryl nodded and smiled warmly at Bridget. He thought back to what he had realized in the truck that night. After the summer was gone; he would never see her again. The possibility was there but in reality: their time with each other was limited. He thought back to her father's first assessment of him and mentally agreed again that yes, she deserved better than him. She was moving on to bigger and better things. He was moving on too but he wasn't going in her direction. But he knew, no matter what, he was never going to forget this girl.

Almost as if she read his mind, Bridget said:

"I'm going down to Florida and I'm spending a few weeks there with my family. And then after that, I'll be back and we can, like, hang out or do whatever…"

"It's cool, Bridget." Daryl said. "Don't worry about me; go have fun. We'll see each other 'round sometime."

Bridget understood. She knew as well as he did that they were going to drift apart come early September and then they'd both be reduced to a fond memory tucked away in the far corner of their minds.

Bridget smiled. "Go on," She told him. "Get lost, redneck."

She gave him a wink and blew him a kiss and walked over to where her family was waiting for her.

Daryl watched from afar, watched Bridget embrace her family members, and then she climbed into the backseat of a car and rode off.

Daryl walked over to where he left Merle's bike. He then realized he still had on the graduation gown. As he approached the motorcycle, Daryl pulled the gown over his head and threw it on the ground. He mounted the bike and started it. He heard somebody blaring their car stereo, rock music filling the night air.

Daryl revved the motor and tore out of the school parking lot, the rock song still echoing from behind:

"_Here I go again on my own/Goin' down the only road I've ever known/Like a drifter I was born to walk alone/And I've made up my mind/I ain't wastin' no more time…"_


End file.
